Hans Holzer, 'Amityville' writer, dies

[The Straight Story]

Hans Holzer, 'Amityville' writer, dies

Hans Holzer, whose investigations into the paranormal took him to haunted houses all over the world, most notably the Long Island house that inspired "The Amityville Horror," died Sunday at his home in Manhattan. He was 89.

The death was confirmed by his daughter Alexandra Holzer.

Mr. Holzer - who wrote more than 140 books on ghosts, the afterlife, witchcraft, extraterrestrial beings and other phenomena associated with the realm he called "the other side" - carried out his most famous investigation with the medium Ethel Johnson-Meyers in 1977. Together they roamed the house in Amityville in which a young man, Ronald DeFeo Jr., had murdered his parents and four siblings in 1974.

The house had become notorious after its next owners claimed to have been tormented by a series of spine-chilling noises and eerie visitations, set forth in the best-selling 1977 book "The Amityville Horror: A True Story," written by Jay Anson.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/05/01/BA1I17C0TU.DTL

[nuxvomica]

1. I've read some of his books but not in a while

Rest in peace, Hans. Now you know the truth, whatever it may be.

[MercutioATC]

2. Jodie finally got him?

[FarLeftRage]

3. Bummer!

I've read most of his books... Now he knows.

[nuxvomica]

4. I went through a time when I was younger when I read a lot of...

...true ghost stories and Holzer was the top author in that territory. Odd that this topic never came up in our conversations before. Too much political outrage to cover, I guess. :hi:

[FarLeftRage]

5. I got a feeling my friend that you and I are alot alike!

I found Hans Holzer's works through FATE magazine... Yes, we only discussed politics and nothing else.

I'll call you sometime. :hi: